Choosing a School – either the first, second, fifth…

Hi,

I’m Alix and it’s my mission to help as many of the next generation as possible to eventually work in careers that meet their passion and purpose, making them happy and fulfilled adults.

This begins with their very first school, setting them on the right path from day one of their educational journey, and any future schools, with every following step to their last.

What, as a parent, we all want is for our children to be happy going into nursery/school every day, excited about what they’re going to learn while knowing we’re making the best decisions for them. This article covers searching for their first nursery and primary school, through to their secondary and any intervening schools as well.

So, grab a coffee (and cake – I love cake!) and let’s dive in and start making their adult life the best it can be from the very beginning.

The right school…

Choosing the right school for your child, no matter what age or educational stage they’re at, is a critical decision that will have a long-lasting impact on their education, overall development and, ultimately, their adult life.

It’s not just the subjects they study, but their overall development.

You know your child best and this article is just to give you hints and tips on factors that you can consider when making this decision, nudge your brain on things to reflect on before making that all important decision.

Location, location, location…

In these days of climate change, some schools will only accept your child if you can physically walk them there to reduce car fumes.

Note: when my daughter was in primary school, almost every month the school newsletter mentioned that the school expected their pupils to walk to school and the benefits to the whole

world when they did. The same subject also came up a lot in school lessons and, as I had to drop my daughter then go to work a few towns away, I had to drive her, waiting until the school opened their doors and still make it to the office on time. I did not appreciate my daughter constantly being told to walk or she would kill the environment when she had no choice in the matter.

So, with this in mind, consider all schools near to your home.

Staying local does have advantages. Having to travel to drop them off and getting stuck in traffic can be stressful and this stress is likely to be picked up by your child who can interpret it as linked to their school, with them believing they are the problem.

Local also allows your child those all few more moments of sleep before the day’s learning adventure begins.

Note: my secondary school was an hour travelling time on the bus because it was the nearest religious school, meaning an early start and leaving me at the mercy of buses being on time, let alone running at all. Neither good nor bad, but definitely adding to stress at exam times.

If you have to go further afield to get the education you prefer for your child, whether it be a better school, or it’s the nearest religious one, firstly make sure they accept pupils from your area, so as not to raise your hopes, possibly leaving you with the feeling of having had to settle for second best if they can’t allow your child in.

Optimum school size…

The question of the ideal school size has been a long-standing debate in education circles, not just a critical question for parents.

From small, close-knit community schools, to large, bustling campuses, educators and policymakers have grappled with finding the right balance to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for students.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer, various factors should (where possible) be considered.

Small schools: nurturing personalised learning…

Small schools, typically with fewer than 300 students, offer a unique and intimate educational experience with the primary advantage being an emphasis on personalised learning.

See my articles on ‘Nurturing Minds: Protecting Mental Health for School Children’ and ‘The Perfect Teacher’ in related articles below.

With fewer students, teachers can develop deeper connections with pupils, knowing each individual one, spotting strengths and catching and addressing weaknesses quickly and effectively.

This close interaction often leads to stronger teacher-student relationships, fostering a positive and supportive learning atmosphere to study in.

For instance, with fewer colleagues around them, children can feel less intimated when putting their hand up and asking questions. Especially when a teacher takes time out to explain that, when a child

asks a question, it is probable that his colleagues/friends actually have the same question in their heads.

Additionally, smaller schools can create a strong sense of community among students and staff.

Everyone knows each other, with this familiarity leading to increased motivation, supportive colleagues, a greater sense of belonging for the children and a reduction in bullying.

Smaller schools tend to have fewer administrative layers, allowing for a more streamlined decision-making process and more direct communication between teachers, administrators, and parents.

However, small schools also face challenges.

Limited resources and funding can impact the variety of extracurricular activities and advanced courses available to students. There are only so many hours in a week and fewer teachers means a limitation to how many hours they can be asked to devote to their students outside of the normal school day.

Moreover, the smaller talent pool for hiring teachers might limit the diversity of expertise among the staff.

Strict budgets can prevent hiring additional teachers to teach more subjects and provide support staff in the classroom where needed.

Large schools: broadening opportunities…

On the other hand, large schools can offer a broader range of opportunities.

The availability of diverse extracurricular activities, clubs and sports teams is typically more extensive in larger schools, allowing students to explore various interests and passions, encouraging a well-rounded education, while offering insights into alternative passions.

Additionally, large schools have a larger budget, often affording more advanced facilities, such as state-of-the-art, up-to-date science laboratories, sports fields and performing arts centres.

These resources can increase the overall learning experience, providing students with exposure to a wider array of subjects and disciplines.

Furthermore, large schools often have access to more specialised teachers, enabling older students to take advantage of advanced courses in subjects like advanced mathematics, foreign languages, or specialised sciences, all while learning in the school environment they are familiar with.

It’s easy to see how this exposure can broaden students' horizons, expanding their perspectives. With more teachers, students can have access to the wider experiences said teachers have had.

Note: I still remember snippets of teacher-offered life experiences that have stayed with me.

Despite these benefits, large schools also have their drawbacks.

Their sheer size can make it challenging for students to form close relationships with their teachers and peers, leading to a sense of disconnection and making it difficult for some students to thrive academically and emotionally.

Moreover, large schools can also suffer from bureaucratic complexities that slow down decision-making and reduce responsiveness to individual student needs.

The golden mean: finding the optimum…

And so, the question remains: what is the ideal school size?

The truth lies in recognising that there is no one definitive answer. The optimum school size depends on various factors, including a community's needs, available resources and educational goals.

Striking a balance between the advantages of both small and large schools, along with knowing your child, can lead to the best learning environment for them.

Even a large school can create a nurturing atmosphere by implementing small learning communities, advisory groups, or mentorship programs.

It’s a matter of teachers being able to know their pupils and spotting those that need that extra help perhaps in bonding with their peers, or with grasping what they are being taught. Both of which are equally important.

Similarly, a small school can broaden opportunities by collaborating with other educational institutions, offering online courses, or arranging joint extracurricular activities, where possible.

It’s a question to ask…

Classroom sizes…

Another factor, even more important than the size of the school I believe, is the size of the classroom.

My article ‘School lesson sizes’ addresses this.

Your intimate knowledge…

Your intimate knowledge of your child is critical. Your child may thrive in a large school, while another may turn into themselves.

Knowing your child is the key to providing a healthy and supportive background during their education years and, if the school cannot offer the additional support they need, explore ways to provide it yourself.

Your involvement in knowing how your child is doing, not just looking at an annual report at the end of the year, is so important.

Helping them become happy, responsible, and content adults is up to all of us – together.

Academic quality…

Before making the final choice, consider the school's academic reputation, performance in standardised tests and any special recognition or accreditation they may have received.

Check the curriculum and teaching methods to ensure they align with the educational goals you have for your child.

Study the likes of Ofsted reports but bear in mind these can be misleading.

Note: my friend is a secondary school teacher and, when the school is given warning that Ofsted is coming, she spends hours preparing special lessons that would exceed their standards. One with excellent slides to present, promote increased interaction, encouraging participation and such like.

I understand why a teacher wants to impress but, if special lessons had to be prepared ready for their visit, Ofsted reports do not reflect the ‘usual’ standard of lessons.

An argument could also be made as to why these ‘special’ lessons aren’t the norm. Does a school curriculum change so much each year that all the subject basic lessons couldn’t be made into ‘special’ lessons that could be used year after year with perhaps a bit of tweaking?

Obviously, I know that English Literature will change depending on the books allocated to a year group, but science? Maths?

Teacher quality…

Research the qualifications and experience of the teachers. Good teachers will make a significant difference in a student's academic progress and engagement.

However, paper qualifications do not a good teacher make.

A teacher also has to be able to do all round things like spot a child struggling before they become overwhelmed. Before they fall so far behind it becomes too much of an uphill climb to catch up and they risk giving up.

So, spotting a child that needs help early is the first part, then they need to be able to offer the extra support needed, or be able to call on help to do so.

Note: again, referring to my friend, one of her pupils was always late arriving for school. When confronted she was shocked to find out that, because his mother was seriously ill, he had to get his two siblings ready for school and drop them off before getting himself to his school.

By knowing their pupils, teachers can offer more than just the lessons they’re teaching.

A struggling child can develop serious confidence issues – especially if they’re too shy to let the teacher, or you, know.

I don’t need to tell you how this has the potential to affect their mental health, seeing all their friends jumping ahead, understanding, while they’re stuck – alienating them.

If teachers can spot the loners early, those who struggle to make friends easily, perhaps they can develop team building games and exercises and work with them on their social skills.

Note: I have always felt that it would be a good thing for teachers to have had children themselves when taking up the profession so that they have empathy with the challenges of being both a parent, and a working parent. But as that will never happen, let’s move on.

Age…

I don’t, personally, think that the age of a teacher is over-important.

A newly qualified teacher should be keen to start. Be up to date with changing thoughts. There’s so much focussing on mental health being brought to our (and our children’s) attention.

When I was at school, we didn’t have access (that I knew of), or even know you could, ask for help when struggling with integrating with peers. When my mother was at school it was during the war. There was no recognition of the mental scars being formed then. She scorns the idea of mental health being so in-your-face on media and believes children could pick up on the prominence and use it to their advantage.

Regardless, more recently trained teacher will know how to deal with the more emotional side of teaching children, the possibility of the (detrimental) influence of social media along with how to deal with bullying and so forth.

However, they may well have their sights set on getting a couple of years’ experience, then moving to another country (like my daughter’s favourite teacher did) or working their way up to becoming a head teacher.

This is less important if they’re going to be in place for the whole year of your child’s schooling, but changing mid-term is unsettling for children and can lead to several, different, temporary teachers, while the school fills the gap.

Age, however, brings experience in the job, not to be dismissed lightly and life generally and, with regular teacher-training days, they’re all kept up to date with new equipment and innovations.

Accents…

Is the teacher’s accent easy to understand?

Accents can be tricky if a child cannot understand what’s being taught, while other accents have the ability to calm and comfort a child.

This is nothing to do with where a teacher is from, just the ability of a child being able to understand what’s being taught.

Note: my husband is from Scotland and can be difficult to understand when excited or reverting to his roots (or just wanting to wind me up)!

The same thing applies to if your child has any reduction in hearing ability. If they cannot hear the teacher, a strong accent may not help, leaving the possibility that they may not understand what is being taught causing them to fall behind.

Special needs and support services…

If your child has special needs, inquire about the school's support services and how they cater to individual learning requirements.

Note: my niece has autism and, although her school has ‘qualified’ teachers just one incident convinced me that qualified does not mean an ability to help the child. Any form of mental or physical violence from a teacher to a child is beyond unacceptable no matter how difficult special needs children can be. [She’s no longer at that school and is thriving academically and emotionally at a different school!]

‘Qualified’ can mean absolutely nothing in the wrong hands.

So, don’t believe everything you are told on this, check with other pupils’ parents to find out the reality.

Do pupils needing help stay or do they leave after a short time? This could indicate that the support is not all it needs to be and that parents are removing their children rather than go up against an inflexible schooling system.

Again, a qualification does not mean good support - critical to remember if your child needs this.

Facilities and resources…

Visit the school to get a sense of the school's culture and values and so that you can assess the school's infrastructure, libraries, and for secondary schools, laboratories, and technology resources.

A well-equipped school can enhance the learning experience and make it easier for the teachers to teach when they have access to up-to-date equipment and the resulting pride in their lessons.

Is it clean and welcoming?

Visit as the school opens, are the children happy to go in?

Philosophy and approach…

Understand the school's educational and religious philosophy teaching approach to check it aligns with your own values and preferences. Whilst children learn this at home, school also has a high impact on how they view the world.

Look for a school that promotes diversity, inclusion, and a welcoming environment for all students - important values to instil early.

Extracurricular activities…

Look for a school that offers a variety of extracurricular activities such as sports and/or arts clubs, and other enrichment programs.

These activities can contribute to a well-rounded education and aid personal development. They encourage teamwork and build friendships. They’ll also expose your child to possible career paths

not on the curriculum per se, and/or just offer them the chance to make friends and have fun, while getting physical exercise.

Word of mouth…

Talk to other parents and students to get their opinions and experiences.

With the internet just a click away it’s possible to read reviews from current or past students and parents to get an independent sense of the school's culture, values and overall atmosphere.

Parent involvement…

Check if the school encourages, or demands, parental involvement and has open communication channels between teachers and parents, not just a report at the end of the term.

Note: I wanted to send my daughter to a religious school at the end of our road so that she would learn the values I was raised with. Unfortunately, they wanted heavy parent involvement and, working in London, I could not commit to that so had to look further, trusting that the values I used in the home would provide those essential skills (and I’m pleased to confirm they did!).

Safety and security…

Ensure the school has appropriate safety measures in place to protect students and staff – unfortunately more and more important these days.

Cost and affordability…

Consider any tuition fees and additional expenses related to attending the school.

Worrying about paying towards any educational costs can be stressful.

It's essential to choose a school that fits within your budget.

A school uniform itself is expensive and no child wants to go in looking different to other children.

Note: when in primary school I remember a child coming in and being told (with a smirk) by another pupil that she was wearing a blouse from a second-hand shop. Other children were unkind to her. Just consider how that must have made her feel.

There’s nothing wrong with buying second hand uniforms – indeed I think schools should have a way of recycling these when children grow so very quickly in the first place.

And there’s no need for your child to ever know you may have bought something you saw and liked second hand and, therefore, not have a reason to mention it at school to avoid any possibility of ridicule from their fellow pupils.

Children can be too young to have filters on how their actions can affect others. It’s hard to go into school when you feel different.

Note: when my daughter had to leave mainstream schooling (just as she started studying for her GCSEs) for reasons too painful to mention, she found a school that taught its pupils online. I was sceptical because I’d never heard of such a thing, just knew about parents teaching their child from home and as I worked that was never a possibility, but our local council knew all about the school and she had cleverly identified one that was used by service parents so that their child would have consistent schooling even when they were forced to travel around the world.

If you work, as long as your child is old enough to be left alone (my mother lived next door) and you know that they will sign on and attend the lessons, you’re covered for this scenario. If you would like the name of the school, please email me.

It cost money to send her there, but it was definitely the right move, right then, for her.

I’m thrilled to report that my daughter never, ever, missed a lesson unless too poorly and she’d cleared it with me first.

Summer school…

Going back to working parents, investigate whether the school offers any support or summer school to cover school holidays.

Does it have a breakfast club or after-school facilities? What are the opening and closing times?

All these matter when you work.

Transitions and continuity…

If possible, consider the feeder schools, ie if there are ‘linked’ schools that are a normal progression route to higher education institutions.

Make sure these are also going to be right for your child. Although ensuring a smooth transition from one level of education to the next, if the next one isn’t up to your standards, it’s something to ponder as they progress up the years.

Having said that, I believe there is definitely something to be said for your child moving to another school with friends from their current one - much less scary.

Note: when I moved to secondary school, because it was the nearest faith school, I knew no one in my class and it was hard.

Lastly, the best school for one child may not be the best for another. It's essential to find a school that meets the specific needs, learning style and aspirations of an individual child/student or, if too young, a parent’s.

Take your time to research and visit schools, ask questions and I do hope the above has given you a few hints and tips on factors to consider to get it right for your child.

Let me know how you get on and I wish you and your child the best good luck!